Easiest class for vMA clearing?

I'm not looking to push leaderboards or anything, but in the past the few times I've attempted maelstrom arena have ended horribly. I've only finished it on normal a couple of times, and from what I remember you dont get the 1pc weapon set drops on normal. My tank characters dont have enough damage output to get through it, my damage characters get stomped in seconds flat, I cant seem to find a happy medium. Those staff drops would really help a lot of my builds right now, especially my tanks and healers, but I simply cant effectively farm the place.

Now I've got one of each class available at the moment. My dragonknight and warden are both tanks, I'd rather not respec them but will if it's necessary. My nightblade and templar are both magicka healers and have fair dps/survivability, but still seem squishy on some rounds. My sorceror is a stamina dps right now, but his builds is kinda up in the air right now and being worked on so I can do whatever with that character.

I've heard that magicka sorcerors with a pet heavy build are the easiest way to clear vMA without stress. Is that true? What kind of stuff would that build include and focus on? I've never actually played a pet (or magicka) sorceror, my sorc leveled as a stamina tank and tanked for a while in vet dungeons and normal trials before I put together a decent stamina dps set for him. Still, magicka could be interesting to try and I've always liked the idea of a simple pet-focused build without complex rotations and tons of animation cancelling.

I'm open to all recommendations at this point, but I'm wondering if something like this might work:

Magicka sorceror
5x Necropotence, 3x willpower, 2x Maw of the Infernal, 1x MA staff on each bar (once I get them, until then just a generic staff, most likely lightning)
Volatile familiar or clannfear? Not sure which would be a better choice all around. Clannfear has that nifty built in heal, but volatile does magic damage and seems to do significantly more damage from what I've seen
Twilight Matriarch or Twilight Tormentor? Again seems to be a healing vs damage dilemma, which one is better?
Honestly I like the idea of a build that fields 3-4 pets (plus a non combat pet for laughs). I've heard that the daedroth summoned by maw of the infernal benefits from daedric prey for the sorceror, which is pretty awesome if true. Does it also scale with max magicka like other sorc pets?
Greater or charged storm atronach as an ultimate for damage?

In addition to those two which are obviously going to be stuck on both bars, what should my other slots be? Obviously I need daedric prey, hardened or empowered ward, and it'd probably be nice to have things like liquid lightning and elemental blockade for extra aoe damage. I just dont see how to fit all of that on the bar space available.
It seems there's not going to be enough room to use things like inner light or bound aegis, both of which boost max magicka and thus pet damage and ward strength, at least not without giving up any other spells in the build. I could use overload on the back bar to create an extra slot or two, but that seems a bit of a hassle to try and work into any sensible rotation.

Hm... MagBlade or MagPlar for cheesing VMA. While I am most comfortable using my MagSorc, VMA is a snooze fest if done on a MagBlade. It turns the content essentially to “easy mode”. MagPlars are a close second, due to the ability to cleanse de-buffs applied. But all and all, I’d recommend a MagBlade to a player who is new to VMA.

Oh, and always go with the healing Twilight. Always. It’s basically the old school Templar’s BoL on a pet.

As for a more in-depth guide to clearing VMA, look into a few posts by a player on these forums named @Joy_Division as they have an extensive write-up on it. Plus, they are incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. I’ll try and find their guide for you, and edit it in.

Honestly any of: petsorc, magblade, stamsorc are pretty easy relative to other builds.

The stamsorc needs VO, the petsorc and magblade don't need any fancy gear.

As for the petsorc, I'd choose the healing Twilight. That extra damage to targets over 50% health is one of the stupidest bonus effects in the game, and the Twilight Matriarch has an absolutely massive burst heal. The problem with the Atro ulti is that it lasts for so long. Which is good for dungeons or even Trials now, but in many cases you may not get the full effect in Maelstrom. Personally I'd stick with the Destro Ulti and Meteor, but I may be wrong about that.

Magblades are nice because you can get heals from a lot of your damage skills. Funnel Health, Refreshing Path, Sap Essence, and your lights/heavies with Siphoning Attacks all heal you. Great burst with Merciless and Impale. Great ulti gen with Soul Harvest.

Stamsorcs are just nice because Hurricane + Crit Surge means you can just run around passively killing stuff while healing yourself.

All you really need to use is LL, Elemental Blockade, Pet, and heavy attack. Use destro staff ulti on the bosses. No other class has a nearly 30k shield and autoheal (power surge) like the pet sorc does. I do recommend getting the undaunted mettle passive first if you haven't already, and use witchmother's brew for infinite sustain.

All you really need to use is LL, Elemental Blockade, Pet, and heavy attack. Use destro staff ulti on the bosses. No other class has a nearly 30k shield and autoheal (power surge) like the pet sorc does. I do recommend getting the undaunted mettle passive first if you haven't already, and use witchmother's brew for infinite sustain.

I'm pretty sure my barrier shield has far more than just 30k shield...

All you really need to use is LL, Elemental Blockade, Pet, and heavy attack. Use destro staff ulti on the bosses. No other class has a nearly 30k shield and autoheal (power surge) like the pet sorc does. I do recommend getting the undaunted mettle passive first if you haven't already, and use witchmother's brew for infinite sustain.

Why would you use Witchmorher’s on a heavy attack build...? The heavy attacks assist with your resource sustain as is. If anything, I’d recommend a CP150 blue food that increases max health and max magicka. That way your pets will hit harder, and your wards will be stronger. Your resource recovery is pretty much irrelevant, as the constant heavy attacks take care of all that.

Also, I personally wouldn’t run Power Surge or any of the Surges. There’s no need for it. But again, that right there is entirely dependent upon a player’s comfort in their build. Twilight Matriarch is more than good enough, although I have been known to use Mutagen with a Maelstrom’s Restoration Staff on my back bar (if going the “Destro-Resto” route).

Honestly any of: petsorc, magblade, stamsorc are pretty easy relative to other builds.

The stamsorc needs VO, the petsorc and magblade don't need any fancy gear.

As for the petsorc, I'd choose the healing Twilight. That extra damage to targets over 50% health is one of the stupidest bonus effects in the game, and the Twilight Matriarch has an absolutely massive burst heal. The problem with the Atro ulti is that it lasts for so long. Which is good for dungeons or even Trials now, but in many cases you may not get the full effect in Maelstrom. Personally I'd stick with the Destro Ulti and Meteor, but I may be wrong about that.

Magblades are nice because you can get heals from a lot of your damage skills. Funnel Health, Refreshing Path, Sap Essence, and your lights/heavies with Siphoning Attacks all heal you. Great burst with Merciless and Impale. Great ulti gen with Soul Harvest.

Stamsorcs are just nice because Hurricane + Crit Surge means you can just run around passively killing stuff while healing yourself.

More or less this^

Also mag templer are quite nice if you just want to complete since with sweeps spam you can just heal through almost everything. Don't know why many think it is harder on a mag templer, it is just harder to get fast clears on a mag templer due to melee skill setup.(off-balance mag dk builds were last patch also quite nice but they are rip this patch)

But the most important part is that you know the mechanics/add spawns of each round and msa will not be really hard on any class.

All you really need to use is LL, Elemental Blockade, Pet, and heavy attack. Use destro staff ulti on the bosses. No other class has a nearly 30k shield and autoheal (power surge) like the pet sorc does. I do recommend getting the undaunted mettle passive first if you haven't already, and use witchmother's brew for infinite sustain.

I'm pretty sure my barrier shield has far more than just 30k shield...

While this is a fair point, it's worth remembering that Barrier is an ultimate. You're giving up your ability to burn the bosses with it if you go that route. That said, I mean, it is an excellent panic button, but it really shines in group content (and PvP) rather than in Maelstrom.

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Magnb is quite easy as well. You can go 5 julianos (or bsw or mecanical accuity a lot of options) 2x Zaan, moondancer or IA.

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Hm... MagBlade or MagPlar for cheesing VMA. While I am most comfortable using my MagSorc, VMA is a snooze fest if done on a MagBlade. It turns the content essentially to “easy mode”. MagPlars are a close second, due to the ability to cleanse de-buffs applied. But all and all, I’d recommend a MagBlade to a player who is new to VMA.

Oh, and always go with the healing Twilight. Always. It’s basically the old school Templar’s BoL on a pet.

As for a more in-depth guide to clearing VMA, look into a few posts by a player on these forums named @Joy_Division as they have an extensive write-up on it. Plus, they are incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. I’ll try and find their guide for you, and edit it in.

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Honestly any of: petsorc, magblade, stamsorc are pretty easy relative to other builds.

The stamsorc needs VO, the petsorc and magblade don't need any fancy gear.

As for the petsorc, I'd choose the healing Twilight. That extra damage to targets over 50% health is one of the stupidest bonus effects in the game, and the Twilight Matriarch has an absolutely massive burst heal. The problem with the Atro ulti is that it lasts for so long. Which is good for dungeons or even Trials now, but in many cases you may not get the full effect in Maelstrom. Personally I'd stick with the Destro Ulti and Meteor, but I may be wrong about that.

Magblades are nice because you can get heals from a lot of your damage skills. Funnel Health, Refreshing Path, Sap Essence, and your lights/heavies with Siphoning Attacks all heal you. Great burst with Merciless and Impale. Great ulti gen with Soul Harvest.

Stamsorcs are just nice because Hurricane + Crit Surge means you can just run around passively killing stuff while healing yourself.

More or less this^

Also mag templer are quite nice if you just want to complete since with sweeps spam you can just heal through almost everything. Don't know why many think it is harder on a mag templer, it is just harder to get fast clears on a mag templer due to melee skill setup.(off-balance mag dk builds were last patch also quite nice but they are rip this patch)

But the most important part is that you know the mechanics/add spawns of each round and msa will not be really hard on any class.

To the magplar-part: since Morrowind Stamplar ws a lot easier than magplar for me...things were just dying so much faster on a stambuild + the insane sustain provided by VO.

Go magblade and basically "self heal" yourself through the entire thing. I can hardly do it on my stamsorc, admittedly the only other toon I CAN do it with atm. But with my magblade it's like "Oh, was that a new SMS? Let's check the phone out real quick..." level. Just run it a couple of times on normal right before, just to tune in your mechanics on what skills to use etc.
Used to run Mother's Sorrow and Spinner's or Necropotence, now I only go Spinner's and Necropotence for all content. DW/Resto or Destro/Resto, and then Molag kena or Shadowrend or 1pc Domihaus. Works fine for me.

Mag sorc with pet.. Infernal Guardian monster set which will help take care of archers, web spinners, summoners and damage crystals while you concentrate on other stuff, and with a 50% proc rate every sorc newbie to vMA should seriously consider it..

I've been running VMA with a MagSorc and 2 stam sorcs (neither have VO). I'm on Arena 4 atm, if about the same round with both magsorc and stam sorc.

MagSorc is the more forgiving of the two specs I'm using. Shielding up gives me time to heal up, so the reaction time is a little easier. However, my stam sorc does just as well but requires a more proactive heal from Vigor.

What has really made VMA easier is practice. I completed Arena 2 first on a MagSorc, and it was easier on my Stam Sorc not because Stam Sorc was an easier class to play but because I knew the Arena 2 better and knew how I needed to play to stay alive in the final boss fight. Same on Arena 3, the extra experience made it easier.

All the sorc nerfs have added up. A no pet build is considerably more difficult than it once was so if people do not like pets, I would recommend another class.

Are you really going to use this opportunity to have a passive-aggressive cry about “sorc nerfs”? No other class can:

- Stack two shields, with one 30% more powerful than any other shield in the game.
- Has built in Regen, Damage Modifiers, cost reduction, HP buffs, and AN EXECUTE. Built in EXECUTE as in you literally press no buttons.
- Has insane mobility and cc break.
- Has a heal as powerful as Dark Deal, which heals TWO RESOURCES—in PVP now, it’s again uninterruptible for a time after the first cast.
- Has so much CC and defensive CC.
- Sacrifices little to no defence for offence.

I know I’ve missed a bunch, but the nerfs have done nothing to the overall OPness of the class in their attempts to being the utility and power level in line with others. I have a sorc, I love him, and I can be honest about the class’s strengths.

They’re the easiest and most forgiving class to learn/ clear VMA. Leaderboards and history proves that. If another class were better at VMA, we’d know by now. NB is a close second, but still falls behind in utility and sheer power.

You can get to 40k+ Magicka with tristat glyphs, so I’m not sure why you’d need pets and necropotence.

All the sorc nerfs have added up. A no pet build is considerably more difficult than it once was so if people do not like pets, I would recommend another class.

Are you really going to use this opportunity to have a passive-aggressive cry about “sorc nerfs”? No other class can:

- Stack two shields, with one 30% more powerful than any other shield in the game.
- Has built in Regen, Damage Modifiers, cost reduction, HP buffs, and AN EXECUTE. Built in EXECUTE as in you literally press no buttons.
- Has the same mobility and cc break.
- Has a heal as powerful as Dark Deal, which heals TWO RESOURCES—in PVP now, it’s again uninterruptible for a time after the first cast.
- Has so much CC and defensive CC.
- Sacrifices little to no defence for offence.

I know I’ve missed a bunch, but the nerfs have done nothing to the overall OPness of the class in their attempts to being the utility and power level in line with others. I have a sorc, I love him, and I can be honest about the class’s strengths.

They’re the easiest and most forgiving class to learn/ clear VMA. Leaderboards and history proves that. If another class were better at VMA, we’d know by now. NB is a close second, but still falls behind in utility and sheer power.

You can get to 40k+ Magicka with tristat glyphs, so I’m not sure why you’d need pets and necropotence.

From what I understood of Joy_Division's point, Magsorc with pets might be easiest, but magsorc with no pets is considerably harder. I believe it, I've been very reliant on my Twilight Matriarch's heals as I'm running VMA for the first time.

But if someone doesn't like using pets, I can certainly see where another class would be easier. I'm finding about the same level of difficulty running a stam sorc through as my pet-build magsorc with a little practice.

All the sorc nerfs have added up. A no pet build is considerably more difficult than it once was so if people do not like pets, I would recommend another class.

Are you really going to use this opportunity to have a passive-aggressive cry about “sorc nerfs”? No other class can:

- Stack two shields, with one 30% more powerful than any other shield in the game.
- Has built in Regen, Damage Modifiers, cost reduction, HP buffs, and AN EXECUTE. Built in EXECUTE as in you literally press no buttons.
- Has the same mobility and cc break.
- Has a heal as powerful as Dark Deal, which heals TWO RESOURCES—in PVP now, it’s again uninterruptible for a time after the first cast.
- Has so much CC and defensive CC.
- Sacrifices little to no defence for offence.

I know I’ve missed a bunch, but the nerfs have done nothing to the overall OPness of the class in their attempts to being the utility and power level in line with others. I have a sorc, I love him, and I can be honest about the class’s strengths.

They’re the easiest and most forgiving class to learn/ clear VMA. Leaderboards and history proves that. If another class were better at VMA, we’d know by now. NB is a close second, but still falls behind in utility and sheer power.

You can get to 40k+ Magicka with tristat glyphs, so I’m not sure why you’d need pets and necropotence.

From what I understood of Joy_Division's point, Magsorc with pets might be easiest, but magsorc with no pets is considerably harder. I believe it, I've been very reliant on my Twilight Matriarch's heals as I'm running VMA for the first time.

But if someone doesn't like using pets, I can certainly see where another class would be easier. I'm finding about the same level of difficulty running a stam sorc through as my pet-build magsorc with a little practice.

Pets are a crutch—an unnecessary one. Try this for baby’s first VMA:

Fortified Brass
Lich
Infernal Guardian
Hardened Ward

40k mag, Infinite sustain, massive shields, next to no damage when they break, and constant healing. I got Flawless on my third try with that setup. And any of the annoying ranged adds you see at once with infernal guardian’s proc.

All the sorc nerfs have added up. A no pet build is considerably more difficult than it once was so if people do not like pets, I would recommend another class.

Are you really going to use this opportunity to have a passive-aggressive cry about “sorc nerfs”? No other class can:

- Stack two shields, with one 30% more powerful than any other shield in the game.
- Has built in Regen, Damage Modifiers, cost reduction, HP buffs, and AN EXECUTE. Built in EXECUTE as in you literally press no buttons.
- Has the same mobility and cc break.
- Has a heal as powerful as Dark Deal, which heals TWO RESOURCES—in PVP now, it’s again uninterruptible for a time after the first cast.
- Has so much CC and defensive CC.
- Sacrifices little to no defence for offence.

I know I’ve missed a bunch, but the nerfs have done nothing to the overall OPness of the class in their attempts to being the utility and power level in line with others. I have a sorc, I love him, and I can be honest about the class’s strengths.

They’re the easiest and most forgiving class to learn/ clear VMA. Leaderboards and history proves that. If another class were better at VMA, we’d know by now. NB is a close second, but still falls behind in utility and sheer power.

You can get to 40k+ Magicka with tristat glyphs, so I’m not sure why you’d need pets and necropotence.

From what I understood of Joy_Division's point, Magsorc with pets might be easiest, but magsorc with no pets is considerably harder. I believe it, I've been very reliant on my Twilight Matriarch's heals as I'm running VMA for the first time.

But if someone doesn't like using pets, I can certainly see where another class would be easier. I'm finding about the same level of difficulty running a stam sorc through as my pet-build magsorc with a little practice.

Pets are a crutch—an unnecessary one. Try this for baby’s first VMA:

Fortified Brass
Lich
Infernal Guardian
Hardened Ward

40k mag, Infinite sustain, massive shields, next to no damage when they break, and constant healing. I got Flawless on my third try with that setup. And any of the annoying ranged adds you see at once with infernal guardian’s proc.

You can get to 40k+ Magicka with tristat glyphs, so I’m not sure why you’d need pets and necropotence.

Well in this case its because I'm interested in a pet build and think it might be fun. I like my characters to be different, so I see little point to playing a sorc identically to another spellcaster class. Pets are a whole different playstyle that I've yet to try.